Who is the best Test fast bowler in the world?
on December 11th, 2008 at 10:21 amTony Greig has declared Zaheer Khan as the stand out fast bowler in the world.
I thought that a fair comparison should be done between the top fast bowlers before a judgment is given.
First of all I believe that the title goes to different bowlers in different formats of the game as their is no bowler who dominates in every format of the game.
After care fully going through the statistics of last two years I prepared a list of Top five fast bowlers for each format of the game. If you disagree you are more than welcome to post your own.
Top five fast bowlers in Test Matches
1- Dale Steyn
2- Zaheer Khan
3- Mikhaya Ntini
4- Mitchell Johnson
5- Brett Lee
I really wanted to include Ishaant Sharma in the list but he has taken only 38 wickets in 14 matches and he can’t bowl away swingers consistently. In my opinion Dale Steyn stands head and shoulders above the rest of the lot with 104 wickets in just 19 matches with 7 five wicket hauls and two 10 wicket hauls in it, he is super fast, he can move the ball both ways, he has taken wickets against all the teams and has been successful in all conditions. Zaheer Khan although has taken less wickets than Brett lee, Mikhaya Ntini, and Ryan Side Bottom but he deserves to get the 2nd position as he took wickets in all parts of the world, he can move the ball both ways has a very effective yorker, has mastered reverse swing and is extremely accurate. Ryan Side Bottom only flourished against the Kiwis that is why he was not included in the top 5, Brett lee although he has taken 93 wickets in just 18 matches but he has only been successful in Australia and Newzealand he has a below average record outside home. Ntini had a good last year he has been very aggressive he has taken 95 wickets in 24 matches but he can only bowl one line he thrives on bowling short and in the rib cage with an angle he can’t reverse the ball effectively he is #3 on the list.
Mitchel Johnson although took less wickets than Brett lee but he has taken more wickets than Lee outside home against good teams in the last two years, he is super fast can move the ball both ways but can’t do reverse swing he is #4 on the list.
Brett Lee is # 5 on the list although his strike rate is still quite good and he has taken 93 wickets in 18 matches but he has failed in the subcontinent, he has lost some speed, he still can’t reverse the ball so he got the fifth and the last position.
Note: Only last two years record was taken into consideration in order to judge the current form, also players who played less than 10 matches were excluded.
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zaheer khan a FAST bowler? pshh haha
India has never produced a genuine fast bowler. Even Kapil Dev at his best was a medium pacer!
Q
His performance has been at par with Brett lee during last year although he took less wickets but qualitatively he took the wickets of better batsmen, 15 matches 61 wickets, average 29, econ of 3.05 that’s not bad.He is struggling to reverse the ball but all the Aussie bowlers are used to Kookaburra ball and they usually struggle with other brands.
He is genuinely fast, he was a bit off color against India in India but I looked at his overall performance.
His average against India was 36.24 against NZ was 11, against SL was 30.12 and against WI was 34.74.
Now Ishaant has taken 42 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 31.61.
His average in Australia was 59,in Bangladesh it was 49,in Srilanka it was 35.5 his average at home is 24.41.
He has performed well at home, i am not saying he is a bad bowler but he in my opinion can’t be rated in top 5.
Steyn no doubt the best.. am surprised to see Johnson there.. he’s not much.. I agree about Ishant with SP.. he’s troubled the best batsman in the world and made him his bunny, surely he should be the best.
Zaheer… let’s see his progress for the next one year.
Scorpi
In India both Lee and Johnson were neutralized they looked out of rhythm and flat, but outside India Johnson has been quite effective.
But then again it’s a strange game English bowlers all of a sudden are in form and so far have bowled better in India than the Aussie bowlers in the ongoing test match.
I want to know where do you rate Zaheer.
I think it should be between Lee and Steyn. I think johnson is pretty ordinary.
Pankaj Bhaiya:
If I had written the post just on the basis of Stats Zahir would not have made the top 5. But I watched him bowl against Australia and just for that reason alone he is at #2 he has grown in class and stature over the last two years. But It wasn’t possible for me to Ignore Steyn he has been magnificent his record away from home is as good as it is at home.
Steyn has performed on every tour.
As regards Ishaant his performance was average as a third bowler in Australia he took only 6 wickets in 3 matches that by no means is a record to rave about.
He has taken only 38 wickets in 14 matches which is not enough to qualify for the second best bowler in the world after all the ability to take wickets is what makes a fast bowler great.
He is also a one line bowler he can’t bowl the away swinger he struggles with it.
Just one good series against Australia recently was not enough to make him qualify for the list he has been average against other oppositions.
steyn and ishant are perfect example of how stats can’t tell the real worth of bowler…
ishant in his little career so far has played oz twice and troubled most of their top batsmen and specially their captain and one of the most prolific batsman ponting 5 times and he is jst 20 and most bowler can claim this even after a career…
he has always taken top orders wickets at crucial times and has won or turned more matches than many bowlers playing long before him…bowls almost macgrath like accuracy so there is no respite…and bowls equally well with old bowl a hall mark of great bowler in making…
steyn is no doubt a good bowler but if you see his away record you will get the real picture…that he hasn’t shaken the world with storm…
i would rate in this way
zahir (the way he cut sliced oz in mohali was master class)
ishant
steyn
lee
johnson/ntini